


Closure

by richniggahoseok



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, M/M, Tradegy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-30
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2019-04-29 23:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14483688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/richniggahoseok/pseuds/richniggahoseok
Summary: *INFINITY WAR SPOILERS*****In which T’Challa meets Erik in the ancestral plane after Thanos’ snap.





	Closure

He felt light headed and weightless. Last thing he remember is…..a hand. Okoye’s hand. A sentence echoes in his mind. 

“This is not the place to die.” 

His eyes shot open. He looks left, then he looks right. Inhaling deeply, he slowly sits up from the grass he was laying in. He’s familiar with this place. The Ancestral Plane. The sky was purple and blue again. He turns, expecting the tree where his father and his ancestors, but furrows his eyebrows. Its not there. Its just more flowing grass. 

He looks down, starting to feel the weight on his shoulders again. He’s dead. No resurrections this time. No more heart shape herbs. This was it. He clutches his chest and kneels on the ground, a million thoughts going through his head. 

He wonders how guilty Okoye must feel, having to watch her King die not once, but  ** _twice._**  And both times, there was nothing she could do about it. 

He wonders if Shuri is good condition, how will she feel losing her brother… _again_ …only years after losing her father.

The most painful thought is Wakanda. And all the destruction it went through. All the destruction that he saw. Bast only knows how much it went through after he was gone.  **His**  kingdom.  **His** nation. The place that  **he**  was supposed to protect. Up in flames and in chaos. He looks up at the sky, tears slowly going down his face. His fist is balled up. Hard. So hard that his knuckles are starting to turn white. Anger is starting to boil up inside him. He wants to yell and scream. He opens his mouth slightly to yell something but is cut off by a voice behind him. 

“Don’t yell. Ancestors don’t like it.” 

It takes T’Challa 2.5 seconds to get up on the ground and turn around. He’s bewildered and freezes once Erik is in his view. The cousin was leaning against a different tree, arms crossed, dreads down in front of his face, and new African garb on. His face is serious and he seems upset. T’Challa shakes his head, suddenly remembering putting a spear knife in Erik’s chest. And Erik suggestively pulling it out after being offered to be healed.  

“You……” Is all T’Challa can say. Erik nods. “Where else would I have went? Hell?” He scoffed but stops once he replays the sentence in his head. He saw what happened out there. He saw the attack and the snap. He was in disbelief. it was something he had never seen before. T’Challa steps closer to him. Looking at the ground, he mumbles something to Erik. “This must be amusing to you.” He suggest. Erik raises his eyebrows. He’s offended. “Why the hell would I be amused by this?” He asks T’Challa, taking a step forward. Its T’Challa turn to scoff. “I failed. Wakanda is in peril.” Erik tilts his head. “I don’t hate Wakanda….” He trails off before speaking again. 

“You and all of Wakanda’s warriors defended the nation as much as you could. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Not to mention, you had the Avengers by your side.” He pauses again. watching T’Challa’s reaction. The fallen King is now sitting by the tree, intently listening to Erik. He continues. “What I’m trying to say is, you didn’t fail. At least…not just you. No one could do anything against….that Purple ma-” T’Challa still looking at the ground corrects him. “Thanos.” 

“…Thanos at that moment. Those stones, man……Look I’m just rambling on but I’m not afraid to admit…..watching you and that army defending Wakanda….there was a moment where I wanted to out there. Fighting with you.” Erik finishes, waiting for T’Challa’s response. 

Its silence for a second. T’Challa stares at his cousin, not necessarily shocked at his statement but simply not expecting it. Erik….wanting to fight beside him? The silence makes the atmosphere awkward. Now Erik is the one looking down. “We would’ve gladly accepted your offer to fight with us.” T’Challa replies, finally. Erik’s head snaps up, dreads out of his face now. “….you serious? Even after all the shi-I mean…stuff I did?” T’Challa nods slowly. Erik, hesitantly, leans off the tree, walks over to where T’Challa and sits next to him. Sighing, he slumps his shoulders. He struggles saying this next sentence, opening his mouth and closing it again. When does finally say it, it comes out slow and nearly a whisper. 

**_“…..I’m sorry, T.”_ **

T’Challa looks over at him. He starts to raise his arm up and put it on Erik’s shoulder. He stops then does it anyway. 

“Its okay, N’Jadaka. We both were lost in our own issues. Me, beyond that conflict…as you can see.” He confesses. The dreadhead nods, understanding. “Bast….I can’t stop thinking about Shuri….” T’Challa says, shaking his head. “It took me time to deal with the sudden mantle as King. I can only imagine how long it’ll take her….” He rambles. “I’m sure she’ll be fine in the care of Ramonda. I mean, she’s a Queen right? She can just give her tips.” Erik says, trying to comfort him. 

“She’s so young…” 

“She’s 18, T’Challa.”

“STILL YOUNG.” 

Erik put his hands up in surrender. “Wakanda will come back from this. We both know that the nation has the resources to help them recover from any damage that was done. As for their loss, it’ll take time but I ain’t letting you sit here and put all the blame on yourself.” T’Challa looks forward. “Thank you.” He responds. Erik put his hand on  _his_  shoulder this time. There’s another silence but this time, its not awkward. Both royals are looking forward at the sky. Erik stops eventually and breaks the silence. 

“This might be too soon but…. **see what happens when you invite white people in?** ”

T’Challa tries to stop the urge but a small laugh comes out of him anyway. Erik laughs also, patting his cousin on the back. Both feel something they haven’t felt in a very long time. 

**Closure.**


End file.
